mHUB

Haven Allen is CEO and co-founder of mHUB and Managing Partner of mHUB Ventures, focused on hardtech innovation and manufacturing entrepreneurship. Before mHUB he worked as an economic development strategist at World Business Chicago, served as a Mayoral Fellow for the City of Chicago, and was a Peace Corps community economic development volunteer in Panama. He is pursuing an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan and a BA in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Allison Winstel is Chief of Staff at mHUB, where she supports execution of the CEO's strategic plan and organizational priorities. She previously worked at Deloitte Consulting in Chicago, advising private and nonprofit clients on strategic and operational goals, and interned at several nonprofit organizations in economic development and human services. She holds an MBA and MPP from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree in public affairs and nonprofit management from Indiana University.

Amor Montes de Oca is the Strategic Initiatives Program Manager at mHUB, where she works on manufacturing readiness for hardtech startups, product innovation, and commercialization pathways, supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses. She previously served as Executive Director of Illinois Women in Cannabis and was a co-founder and former Director of Strategic Initiatives at 2112, a Chicago incubator for creative industries. She holds a B.A. from DePaul University and has experience in startup growth, ecosystem development, and strategic partnerships.

Austin Donatone is a machinist in the prototyping shop, where he trains members on metalworking machine tools and advises on manufacturing methods. He holds an engineering degree from Cornell College and has a background in custom automation machinery, including machining, machine tool maintenance, and automation controls programming and wiring. He is currently rebuilding a 1960s Boyar Schultz surface grinder.

Charles Traut is a Prototyping Shop Technician at mHUB, where he helps operate the Prototyping Lab and supports members with equipment and process development. Originally from New York, he moved to Chicago after earning a Bachelor's in Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to mHUB, he worked in signage and additive manufacturing as a production manager and at SAIC's Advanced Output fabrication lab.

Christian Luna is the Events and Partner Marketing Associate at mHUB, where he handles event planning, execution, and promotion along with related project management and partner marketing initiatives. He previously spent eight years in the entertainment events industry with Universal Studios Orlando and served as Membership Development Manager at The Executive's Club of Chicago.

Derek Burling is a Venture Associate at mHUB Ventures, where he works across sourcing, diligence, portfolio support, fundraising, and fund strategy, focusing on companies in energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and medical devices. Before mHUB, he spent seven years as an electrical engineer and project manager at Burns & McDonnell, working on energy infrastructure projects such as microgrids, digital substations, and battery storage. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School, and a bachelor's in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and has been a licensed Professional Engineer in Illinois since 2023.

Elizabeth Andrews is mHUB's Director of Strategic Partnerships, leading the advancement team's development, communications, and brand management work. She has spent about 15 years in the entrepreneurship, startup, and innovation space across the U.S., Asia, and Africa, with a focus on climate and women's executive leadership. She previously served as Chief Development Officer at New Energy Nexus and led programming and partnerships across Southeast Asia for Wedu Global in Bangkok, including work with the U.S. State Department on YSEALI women's leadership programs.

Ivanna Yunes is mHUB's Digital Marketing Manager, where she works on the organization's digital presence and brand visibility. She has over a decade of experience across social media management, political marketing, public relations, and event coordination, including marketing campaigns for retail and manufacturing clients. She holds a degree in Marketing and Communication from Universidad Federico Santa María.

Jalen Anderson is the Events and Marketing Coordinator at mHUB, where he manages third-party events and supports digital engagement through marketing efforts. He previously interned with MxD's corporate events team and worked as a Student Engagement Coordinator at DePaul University's Office of International Student and Scholar Services. He graduated from DePaul University in 2023 with a degree in Comedy Filmmaking and runs a production company called Sketchy As Hell.

Jason Coleman is Executive Director of mHUB's Chicago-based incubator, where he oversees strategy, programs, and partnerships for early-stage startups. Trained as a mechanical engineer with a BS from the University of Southern California, he previously worked on flight control systems at BAE Systems and mechanical systems for mobile devices at Motorola. In 2008 he co-founded Project SYNCERE, a nonprofit focused on STEM education for underrepresented communities.

Joe Moseley is a Growth Associate at mHUB, where he leads membership activation and engagement, organizing ecosystem events and building relationships to bring startups into the mHUB community. Before joining mHUB in 2023, he founded Scrims Esports Gaming Center in Lisle, IL, hosting e-sports tournaments. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Miami.

John Welin is mHUB's shop director, overseeing safety, training, and maintenance for the equipment in the prototyping shop and managing fabrication services for members and non-members. He previously managed the Idea Shop Prototyping Lab at the Illinois Institute of Technology and continues as an instructor in its IPRO program, with over 20 years in Chicago's prototyping and fabrication community. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Josunda Bradshaw is the member engagement coordinator at mHUB, where she handles front desk operations, greets members and visitors, and coordinates and promotes member community events and educational programming. She spent about 25 years in the non-profit association field, including at the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA), where she rose from receptionist to membership manager working on member benefits, recruitment, and retention. She is completing an associate degree at Harold Washington College and plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in journalism and communications at Northeastern University.

Kim Blomquist is Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at mHUB, where she leads media engagement and department strategy across digital, events, and content to build mHUB's hardtech community. Before mHUB, she led marketing and communications for a regional arts organization during its national expansion, oversaw marketing and business development for a workplace-focused interior architecture firm, and worked for a mission-driven B-Corp on sustainability in foodservice. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Lanise Beavers is the Manager of Incubator Entrepreneurial Training at mHUB, where she leads the development of educational initiatives across the incubator programs, including curriculum, mentorship, Expert-In-Residence programs, and cohort programs such as mPOWER and the Landis Family Hardtech Development Fellowship. She has over 8 years of experience in program design and previously worked in college admissions and access, developing programs for underrepresented college-bound students. She holds a bachelor's in Sociology and American Studies from Kenyon College.

Luis Diaz is an Accounting Associate who manages accounting filing systems, tracks revenues and expenses, and supports accounts receivable management. He has accounting experience across industries including Chicago Title and Trust and AH Financial, and developed a customer relations background working with the state of California. He attended MiraCosta College and returned to Chicago after 15 years in San Diego.

Manas Mehandru is Chief Operating Officer at mHUB, focused on the organization's operational efficiency and financial performance. Before mHUB, he worked at UL (Underwriter's Laboratories) supporting physical product manufacturers across various sectors, where he earned a Six Sigma Black Belt, and he contributed as a World Business Chicago fellow to defining the strategy that led to mHUB. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.

Melissa Lederer is chief experience officer at mHUB, where she leads teams designing solutions to drive engagement and collaboration for corporate partners and startups. She was a member of the founding team of Chicago's 1871 innovation hub, serving as its chief marketing officer, and later helped found the healthcare incubator MATTER, where she built its brand and managed marketing, communications and events. Earlier she was SVP of marketing at Q Interactive (formerly CoolSavings) and has more than 20 years of experience across corporate and agency settings.

Monica Vajani leads mHUB's MedTech Accelerator, overseeing recruitment, evaluation, and program execution for its startup cohorts, and brings over 18 years of medical device and corporate innovation experience. She previously served as Executive Director of Innovation at GHX, as a Senior Advisor on CVS Health's Chronic Care Transformation team, and led corporate partnerships at MATTER, having started her career in cardiac medical device clinical sales at Abbott and Medtronic. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.

Ryan Fant is a Chicago-based entrepreneur, investor, and operator with over 15 years of experience building venture-backed technology companies. A two-time Techstars founder, he co-founded the connected-home company Keen Home, which raised more than $10M and was acquired by ConnectM Technology Solutions. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and has held roles including Director of Innovation at Koch Industries, EVP of Global Operations at ConnectM, and Operating Partner at Stand Together Ventures Lab, where he supported early-stage founders in AI, energy, and fintech.

Sofia Schillace holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University and applies her academic background to hands-on prototyping and fabrication. Her experience includes large-scale metal fabrication, machining, production woodworking, and museum exhibit fabrication, and she previously managed the student trainer group at the Northwestern University Ford Prototyping Lab. She also works with textile arts, exploring the overlap between craft and engineering techniques for prototyping.

Tanisha London is the Program Manager of Accelerator Programs at mHUB, where she supports cohorts of hardtech startups focused on energy, sustainable manufacturing, and health, serving as the primary point of contact for teams. Before mHUB, she managed operations for Techstars Los Angeles, evaluated early-stage life science companies at Lux Capital, designed scientific programming at NIH's Center for Compulsive Behaviors, and supported grant management at HBCUvc. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Spelman College and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Southern California, where her research was funded by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Virginia Chiu is Operations Manager at mHUB, where she supports member and business intelligence as well as infrastructure. Her career has spanned operations support across hospitality, retail, media, and architecture. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Zachary Nerod is the mHUB Energy Innovation Fellow, where he develops and executes strategies for the Kinzie Corridor innovation district project and the Clean Tech Economy Coalition's initiatives, with an emphasis on clean energy. Before joining mHUB, he worked for four years across various parts of the solar industry. He completed graduate studies at the University of Michigan and interned with CEI Ventures and Newlab, working on rural venture capital models and building a clean energy innovation ecosystem in Detroit.